28 months old

At 28 months old, your toddler is an inquisitive bundle of energy, always on the go…

Their little minds are developing so quickly, and soaking up everything they see and hear. Temper tantrums may be the norm now as well as they are beginning to test their boundaries. It is important that you remain patient and set a strict set of rules for your child. This article will discuss how your child is developing at 28 months old.

Toddler development at 28 months old

Language development

By the time your child is 28 months old they are learning to speak in longer sentences and can express what they are feeling as well as tell you what they are doing. Their sense of humor is starting to develop and they might start to joke and laugh with you more. At this tender age, they are soaking up everything they hear. You need to watch what you say in their presence, as they will repeat what you say anytime and anywhere without provocation.

Their vocabulary is somewhere between 400 and 450 words and they are learning new words every day. Girls may have a wider vocabulary and be more verbal at 28 months old as their is some inconsistency between genders in language development at this age.

Social and emotional development at 28 months old

As your child is learning to express their emotions, you may have to intervene and help calm them down. They are learning how to express themselves and it may seem a little over the top at times. But they will learn to control and regulate their emotions as they continue to grow and develop. As they are learning to pretend play, they may scare themselves. They are still learning to distinguish the difference between reality and fantasy. Just be patient with your child and comfort them when needed.

They will also start to show more interest in interacting with other children, although the majority of the time will still be spend in parallel play. Taking your toddler to playgroups or having playdates with children close to their age will help enhance their social skills, especially if they are naturally shy or quiet. This will help prepare them for the preschool environment.

They will still need adult guidance with games and group activities. You will notice they feel more secure when familiar adults are nearby.

Physical development

Gross motor skills

Your toddler is now able to walk up the stairs one foot at a time, stand on one foot and walk backwards. They may be able to walk on their tiptoes now. He or she may also continue to walk on their toes for awhile, this is a normal part of development. They might also begin to learn to toss a ball overhand. As part of their gross motor skills they are working on improving their jumping, running, hopping and skipping as well. They will start to climb on things and jump off of things as well. Therefore you need to make sure that they under supervision at all times as they want to explore everything.

Fine motor skills

At 28 months old your child may start to show an increasing interest in arts and crafts. Some fine motor skills activities that are best suited for this age are painting with watercolor paints, stickers, sidewalk chalk and playdough. They are also able to grasp small objects with ease and are able to stack blocks as well. They will enjoy building blocks and larger lego´s and other manipulative toys at this stage to help develop their fine motor skills.

By 28 months old they should be able to dress themselves by now and will still need assistance with buttons, snaps, velcro and zippers. They should be able to drink from a cup and may be able to grasp utensils.

Cognitive development

Your toddler is able to follow simple commands such as “Clean up” or “Go to your room.” However, they might not always cooperate as they are beginning to assert themselves and discover the power of the word “NO!” They will also be able to recall events of the day or perhaps a day before but they won’t always be in chronological order. Their concept of time will develop later so don’t get discouraged if they can’t exactly remember things in the proper sequence.

Your child will be either to verbally name or point to a body part that is injured or upset, such as a tummy ache. They will start to associate basic body parts such as eyes, ears, nose and mouth. It is important to engage them in conversation and read with them at this stage. Their brain is developing quickly to others or you will find yourself getting discouraged very quickly.

Your toddlers cognitive development at 28 months old will enjoy looking at pictures in books and are able to recognize objects. They will enjoy looking at photographs of familiar faces. Also they will be able to locate objects hidden under covers as they gain a better understanding of object permanence.

Using their imagination

They will start to use their imagination more now so don’t be surprised if they want to play dress up more often or are starting to make up imaginary friends and characters in their play as well as giving living attributes to non-living objects. They might start to have fears at night of monsters under the bed or in the closet. You have to remember that to them, this is a very real fear. Just try to keep them calm and reassure them that they are safe and that your are close by if needed.

At 28 months old, your toddler is ready to start learning to obey rules as well as the meaning behind them. By this point, they already know that they are able to test their limits, so it’s definitely time to set some proper boundaries. You will need to keep the rules clear, concise and consistent. Explain them at the moment they come into play so they are fresh in your child’s mind. Be patient, it might take some time for them to fully comprehend (and accept) strict rules, but it is important to start them now, or it may be even more of a challenge later in the game.